Even Columbus feels pinch of $2m deficit in Revere

He wore a maroon and gray coat with gold fringe, accented by a sash and brass belt buckle. He tucked his dark pants into his high boots and donned a Spanish conquistador hat. He carried a sword, waving to thousands gathered on the parade route that started on Broadway and ended near Revere Beach.

“I was always in the beginning, right behind the Revere Police and the Coast Guard,’’ said Mannone, 49, a hairdresser and son of Sicilian immigrants. “People would shout to me, ‘Hey, Sal,’ ’’ or “Hey, it’s Christopher Columbus.’ It made me very proud.’’

But this year, Mannone did not reprise his role as the bold Italian explorer. A $2 million deficit in the city budget prompted Revere to cancel this year’s festivities, marking the first time in decades that a mix of Roma bands, bagpipes, and floats depicting the three sailing ships of Columbus did not fill city streets.

“This is the first time in my life that I have not gone to the parade,’’ said Ty Smith, 80, a retired travel agent. “Even when I was a girl, in the Big Depression, we still had a Columbus Day parade.’’

City officials say a harsh fiscal crisis put the kibosh on the parade, estimated to cost more than $50,000. Since January, Revere has laid off police and firefighters, closed City Hall on Fridays, and canceled this year’s primary election to save money, city councilors said.

“I could not look someone in the eye who has lost their job, or had their hours cut at City Hall, and say to them, ‘We’re having a parade,’’’ said Ward Three Councilor Arthur Guinasso. “We have to be very frugal.’’

Councilor at-large Ira Novoselsky said the city could not afford overtime costs for police protection, street sweeping, and other services. “We knew after last year’s parade it would be tough to do it this year,’’ he said. “There was no money for it when we got the budget’’ last spring.

Revere Mayor Thomas G. Ambrosino did not return a message left at his home yesterday. Guinasso said councilors received a memo from the mayor in August, stating the parade would be canceled this year. “It’s really a shame,’’ said Guinasso, a councilor for 22 years.

It is unclear whether the parade will return next year. “We’ll have to see how the money is,’’ Novoselsky said.

Columbus Day this year was a muted celebration in this city of 47,000 people, many of whom trace their ancestry to Italian immigrants who settled here in the early 19th century. The parade was like a homecoming, with barbecues planned for backyards and at local social clubs. The parade was also a must-stop on the state’s political circuit, with candidates Kerry Healey and Deval Patrick taking part when they ran against each other for governor in 2006.

Yesterday, about 60 people attended a barbecue at Revere American Legion Post 61 on Broadway. “Because there is no parade, a lot of people had nowhere to go,’’ said Al Terminiello, president of the city’s veterans committee, which planned the event. The committee used to sell hot dogs and sausages during the parade to raise money for veterans events, Terminiello said.

The committee this year charged people $6 for the barbecue. DJ Morris Morris spun oldies, such as Johnny Mathis’s “Chances Are’’ and “Oh, Marie’’ by the Gaylords, which got one couple up for a dance. “I’m glad to be here, but I think it’s lousy that there is no parade,’’ said Morris, 81, a World War II Army veteran.

Others said they understood the city’s decision. “It’s money,’’ said Sylvia Corin, 81, a member of the city’s beautification committee, seated at a round table with friends at the Legion. “I know how hard it is to raise money to keep the city pretty and clean. . . . It costs $55,000 for the parade, and that is a lot of money.’’

Rose Napolitano, head of Revere 1st, a group of women who volunteer for community events, usually marched in the parade, passing out popcorn and balloons to children. This year, she led a crew of five women who dished out sausages and peppers, macaroni, and potato salad to people gathered at the legion. “This is nice,’’ said Napolitano, 77, as she collected money at the door. “But it’s not the same as the parade.’’

Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com